Prioritizing the health and safety of the Great Lakes and the drinking water it provides to over 30 million Americans must be part of federal government investments to recover from the devastating Coronavirus pandemic, wrote nine organizations, representing businesses, tribes, local and state government, and environmental groups, in a letter to ranking members of Congress. The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, representing hundreds of Great Lakes environmental groups, was a signatory to the letter.

“These are common-sense priorities for ensuring that everyone who calls the Great Lakes home has access to the basic need of clean drinking water,” said Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition director Laura Rubin. “As Congress considers stimulus measures to help America’s economy recover, it must recognize that investments in the Great Lakes and drinking water infrastructure will yield long-term environmental and public health benefits. We proudly join the groups who are signatories of this letter in urging Congress to support these clean water and Great Lakes priorities without delay.”

In April, the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition sent Congress a letter calling for stimulus funds to be used in repairing aging water infrastructure and Great Lakes restoration activities that protect source water, as well as for the prevention of water shut-offs.